Tuesday, December 26, 2006

THIBODAUX, La. - The man suspected of being a serial killer had been accused of rape on two occasions before the killing of his alleged first victim, but he never stood trial, newspapers reported Saturday. Ronald Dominique was indicted on nine counts of first-degree murder earlier this month. Held in lieu of a $9 million bond, he has yet to enter a plea.

In 1993, a Houma man told Thibodaux police that Dominique tied him up and raped him at gunpoint, but an officer chose not to make an arrest, the Daily Comet and the Courier newspapers reported. In 1996, a Thibodaux man went to the same police officer with an almost identical account, but while Dominique was arrested and jailed, he was released three months later without prosecution.

If men think that ineffective investigations of rape allegations never impact their own safety, this case shows how wrong they are. It also shows in stark terms that women rape victims aren't the only ones who have reason to be reluctant to report what happened to them.

In both of the reported rapes, the alleged rapist claimed that the sexual contact was consensual and even explained away his brandishing of a gun.

This case makes me wonder how much getting away with certain acts of violence emboldens rapists while the inadequate criminal justice response reminds them that rape survivors pose some danger to their continued violence.

We must do better for all victims and in response to all types, ages and genders of perpetrators.

1 Comments:

This example says to me that many instances of rape/murder are preventable. We need to get the evidence and prove the guilt of criminals, and lock them up so long as the pose a threat to the safety of innocent people.

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Abyss2hope is centered on date rape, but isn't limited to discussing crimes which can be described this way since the causes and attitudes related to date rape are interconnected with domestic violence and other types of sexual violence.

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